Think your parental controls are airtight? You may want to double-check after reading this post. Here at Bark, we’ve heard from countless families over the past 10 years, and some of the workarounds kids come up with are truly unexpected and genuinely eye-opening. From changing time zones to sneaky playlist messages, here are some of the most surprising ways kids outsmart parental controls — and what you can do to stay one step ahead of everything.
The Most Surprising Ways Kids Get Around Parental Controls
1. Communicating through Spotify playlists
Spotify, the popular music streaming app, seems harmless — though we’ve learned that’s not exactly true, either, with its rampant porn problem — but it can also be used as a covert means of communicating when all other avenues have failed.
Here’s how it works: Two (or more!) kids create a collaborative playlist, which allows both of them to add songs, edit the title, and include a little description of the vibe. Instead of just keeping the title and description as is, the playlist contributors can take turns leaving “secret” messages for the others.
What you can do: Fortunately, we haven’t seen this terribly often, but it’s something to be aware of. If you’re worried, you can always check your kid’s Spotify account and playlists. It’s not one of the most efficient ways to chat, so it’s not a go-to if other apps are available.
2. Finding chat rooms on seemingly wholesome apps and games
If there’s one thing we always tell parents, it’s that if there’s a chat function on an app or website, there is going to be creepy behavior from adults. Over the years, we’ve heard from countless parents about the dangers their children have fallen into thanks to chat rooms. Kids don’t always know what they’re getting themselves into with some of these apps, and they can quickly get in over their heads.
Here’s how it works: Your child requests an app that they can download, something like a fitness or a religious app. You approve it, and then they encounter — either accidentally or because they know about it — a chat function. Because you wouldn’t think these types of apps are for social interaction, you don’t think twice about it.
What you can do: Step one is definitely having an “approve all app downloads” policy in place. This way, you can know exactly what they’re asking for. If you have time, try and learn about the apps your kid is interested in. But we know — this is definitely easier said than done. Fortunately, Bark stays on top of the latest apps popular with kids so you can get a quick TL;DR on them and whether they’re safe for your child to use. It’s like a cheat code for knowing about all the dangers associated with a popular platform.
3. Changing time zones on Apple devices to evade Screen Time
Apple’s Screen Time feature is notoriously buggy, and kids are constantly figuring out workarounds. One of the most common ones we’ve seen? Changing the device’s time zone.
Here’s how it works: Screen Time limits usually reset at midnight based on your local time zone. But if your child changes the time zone on their device (say, to somewhere across the world), it can confuse the system, and sometimes those screen limits reset early or stop working altogether.
What you can do: The good news is there’s a simple fix. In your Screen Time settings, you can prevent changes to the date and time. It only takes a second to turn on, but it can stop this workaround in its tracks.
4. Accessing in-app browsers through fine print
Even if you’ve blocked Safari or Chrome on your kid’s device, there are still plenty of sneaky ways to get on the internet, namely through in-app browsers built into other apps.
Here’s how it works: Many apps include hard-to-find, blink-and-you’ll-miss-them links to things like terms and conditions, privacy policies, or help centers. Tapping on one of these links can open an in-app browser, which some kids then use to access the web freely, without triggering parental controls tied to the main browsers.
What you can do: It’s tough to lock down every single browser loophole, which is why it helps to use a tool like Bark that can monitor web browsing and flag inappropriate content, even if it happens in less obvious places.
5. Screen recording their phone to capture passcodes
Have you ever had to enter a password for an app or service on your child’s phone? Odds are, they’ll hand it over, you’ll punch your secretly guarded code in, and then go about your day. But one way kids are secretly obtaining it is through screen recording.
Here’s how it works: A kid will initiate screen recording right before handing you the phone. Then, while you’re adding your password, the video will catch what you’re typing in. When you hand it back, your kid will stop the screen recording, and then they’ll have a video of everything they need.
What you can do: This one’s tricky, we’re going to be honest. If your kid is doing this sort of thing, there may be a bigger issue at play that requires some hard conversations. But one immediate thing you can do is look for the little red bar in the top left corner of an iPhone (or a blinking green circle in the top right corner of an Android) — this will tell you if the phone is currently screen recording. If you see that, it’s time to have a chat.
How Bark Can Help
If your child has tried any of these workarounds (or if you're just now realizing how creative and determined kids can be), you’re not alone. Parenting in the digital age is way harder than what our parents had to deal with, precisely because kids are usually one step ahead of us when it comes to tech.
Our monitoring technology can help keep you in the know about what your kids are doing online — from texts and social media to email and web browsers. You’ll get alerts if anything concerning is found, so you can check in and make sure everything’s okay. Bark’s also got powerful web and app blocking so you can help protect your kids from dangerous and inappropriate content they might encounter online.
Check out our products page to learn more about all of our family-friendly tech products and find the perfect fit.
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